my roomate just told me about this the other day; but it seems that my dog does a deep-toned kind of woo-woo howl that lasts for seriously as long as a full minute at a time when i leave in the morning.

question i have is if i should immediately view this as separation anxiety or if its more of a missing the pack type thing?

i dont want to overreact if its not sep anxiety and start all sorts of exercises to deal with it.

clm

July 9th, 2008, 02:13 PM

Baxter has seperation anxiety, and he's terrible when we leave in the morning, I would love just a whoo whoo that lasted just a minute. :laughing:

Seriously, yes it is a slight case of S/A if he's doing it just after you leave, but as long as he's not doing it more than that and settles down after a minute, I wouldn't worry about it.

Cindy

SnowDancer

July 9th, 2008, 04:19 PM

I agree with clm - a minute's howling would be great. My Eskie has SA and it isn't pretty - and he isn't as bad as some.

kigndano

July 10th, 2008, 10:12 AM

i will def ask my roomie to monitor it and tell me if it gets work

i go to work at 730 and he goes at 830 so hes around basically every morning when i take off.

Soter

July 10th, 2008, 01:34 PM

You said at the top 'maybe its a missing the pack type of thing.' Not being mean, but you may thing the dog is thinking 'wheres my mummy' he/she is thinking 'where is my pack? I am supposed to be the leader of this pack and yet my pack is blomin' gone!!' i can guess why he/she howls. when you cme in, (if you DO do this then read on) is he/she the first thing you go to. does he/she frantically bark or lick you or bring you toys of get very verty excited?
Then he/she things it is the leader. It is saying 'yippee, you are coming back into my pack i welcome you.!' this may sound cute, but it just aint good. cos' dogs can develop serious problems when they thing they are leader. it wont howl if you make yourself leader over it, cos you are basically saying to it, (subtly using body language) you don't need to howl, because i decide when i leave and when i come back, not you, so dont howl for me. just wait patiently like a good little doggie for my return. in dog language, it doesn't howl cos' it misses you. It howl cos it feels its responsability is for its pack, and if its pack is gone and it doesn't know its whereabouts, of course its gonna howl. i reccomend strongly reading the book 'the dog listener' by 'jan fennell.' good book. I hope no offence is taken

kigndano

July 10th, 2008, 04:03 PM

when i get home my dog stays put actually.

once i say his name or whistle for him he comes to greet me.

now when OTHER people come over, or even my roomate he greets them excitedly as you mentioned before.

i was actually very careful not to encourage his excitement when i got home because i read about that kind of thing.

i appreciate the good advice tho.

jessi76

July 10th, 2008, 06:13 PM

my roomate just told me about this the other day; but it seems that my dog does a deep-toned kind of woo-woo howl that lasts for seriously as long as a full minute at a time when i leave in the morning.

question i have is if i should immediately view this as separation anxiety or if its more of a missing the pack type thing?

i dont want to overreact if its not sep anxiety and start all sorts of exercises to deal with it.

I would view it as "see ya later dude!". True separation anxiety is just that, ANXIETY. from prolonged howling to full blown destroy everything in sight type of anxiety. I would not consider a minute of barooo's "anxiety". I think it's actually fairly common for husky/mal's to be vocal. (you have a husky?) my own dog is a basenji mix, known for yodeling, and I hear many a BAROOOO when I leave, when i come home, when the wind blows funny, etc... If it carried on for longer than 15-20 minutes I'd consider it "anxiety", but I honestly don't think a minute is anything to be concerned about really.

kigndano

July 10th, 2008, 09:05 PM

i was told purebred mal, i think husky/mal mix. and thanks for the advice

Soter

July 11th, 2008, 05:41 AM

it sounds like you've got yourself a nice, really well trained dog. Just in case, the advice wasn't pointed personally at you, it was just a general avice. I don't have a dog but i was just repeating what i read in a book recomended to me. soz if it caused offence.
soter
:thumbs up with your dog

kigndano

July 11th, 2008, 07:59 AM

it sounds like you've got yourself a nice, really well trained dog. Just in case, the advice wasn't pointed personally at you, it was just a general avice. I don't have a dog but i was just repeating what i read in a book recomended to me. soz if it caused offence.
soter
:thumbs up with your dog

hahaha

look through my post history...you are sadly mistaken. people here will vouch that not only is my dog poorly trained, but i am a poor dog trainer.:D